Kazuo Hashira
|kanji = 和夫柱|rōmaji = Kazuo Hashira|color = black|text = white|name = Kazuo Hashira|gender = Male|age = 26 |hair = Onyx|eyes = Brown|occupation = Cambium Knight|partner = |magic = Summoning Magic Teleportation Magic Rune Circles|birthday = June 14, X774|previous partner = Theia Tasya|status = Active|relatives = Damien Hashira (uncle)|weapons = Wrathcleaver (激怒クリーバー Gekido Kurībā) Diesis (鋭い Dieshisu) Soulshard (魂の破片 Tamashī no Hahen)}}Kazuo 'Kaz' Hashira '(和夫柱 ''Kazuo Hashira) is a high class weapons mage, and one of the only survivors of the Hashira Clan of warriors. Though his clan did leave him with a variety of skills, and after the events in Radiance Requiem, Kazuo has claimed the title as the most proficient weapon user in all of the Hashira Clan history; gaining a mastery in both spear and ax wielding. His path for vengeance for his clan's slaughter led him on an eye opening journey when he ran into a Light Mage named, Theia Zhulong, who forced a partnership on him in his otherwise solo quest to find the Solis Knight responsible for ending his clan. It is through his time spent with Theia that he was able to open his eyes to what had blinded him with anger and set forth on a new path to find his own purpose in the world after his revenge had been dealt. Appearance Kazuo stands tall and straight, his broad shoulders conditioned to stand back at attention through his years of training in self defense and weaponry. His gait is one carried with easy self assurance and confidence, as if he walks with a purpose. His muscles have become toned and aptly conditioned for both long term endurance and hard hitting blows in combat. He has achieved this look of precise, balanced musculature by applying himself to a specialized weight-lifting program and combat practice that he exercises every day, to keep him in peak condition should the need arise. Due to this well rounded training he has a chiseled musculature, one that de-emphasizing massive size in favor of balance, proportion, and shape of each muscle. His tousled onyx hair is rather long, spiked in a way that looks natural, but enough so that it doesn't lie flat against his fair skin. His bangs come to a point on his forehead and feather back to cover his ears and frame his strong jaw. His eyes are like a brown stained glass window, always looking off somewhere distant, either the past or the future, and his thin hued lips are always slightly turned down, only sending off a smile for the select few. He wears a long black waxed cotton jacket made from high-quality Egyptian cotton that provides a strong, lightweight cloth that is a staple in Kazuo's wardrobe. It is a thigh-length coat with a vent up the back to allow for breathing, and is Double-breasted going up to the neck to meet a turndown collar. A steel gray shirt is often visible underneath, adorned with a black skull pattern that fades down from the collar. Black, fitted cargo pants are rolled up to accentuate his black lace up combat boots, which unknown to most, hide a small dagger in it's sole. Kazuo often wears a black, fingerless glove made from a kevlar fiber on his left hand to protect it from blisters when wielding his weapons. Personality Kazuo is a man of mystery, for you never quite know what is going through his head. Though soft-spoken, he has very strong opinions and will fight tirelessly for an idea he believes in. He is decisive and strong-willed, having the passion of his convictions carry him far past his breaking point into achievement. He has a strong value systems, and need to live his life in accordance with what he feels is right. In deference to the emotional side of his personalities, he can sometimes in some ways be very gentle and easy going. Enjoying things like talking with others and simply enjoying the time spent with them. Conversely, he has very high expectations of himself, and frequently of his teammates. He doesn't believe in compromising his ideals, and in combination with these high expectations, it is no wonder that he prefers to work alone. He can be immensely concerned for other people's feelings, and tries to be gentle to avoid hurting anyone. But this comes as a double edge sword for him sometimes, as his stubbornness and sometimes blunt opinions can drive a wedge between him and others. He is very sensitive to conflict though, and cannot tolerate it very well. Situations which are charged with conflict will drive him into a state of agitation or charged anger, causing him to burst out his previously pent up feelings that were kept hidden to avoid causing pain to others. This tendency to internalize conflict in his body leads him to be rather testy at times and causes him to experience health problems frequently when under a lot of stress. His stubbornness and tendency to ignore other people's opinions gets him in a lot of trouble, as he believe that he is always right. On the other hand, he is a perfectionist who doubts that he is actually living up to his fullest potential. This means he is rarely at complete peace with himself, as he thinks there's always something else he should be doing to improve himself and the world around him. And if that means that doing something his way will improve himself, then there is little that can be done to sway him. He believes in constant growth, and doesn't often take time to revel in his accomplishments, as he feels he can always be better. History Kazuo was born in X774 to the main branch of the Hashira Clan, a family renowned for their tendency to produce warriors of the highest caliber; proficient in weapons made from a monopolized ore called Sciodian Metal. Due to his birth right, Kazuo was expected to perform at the highest standard to be a representative of Hashira Clan, as it often sent its members to serve in the Fiore Royal Guard. So because of this Kazuo was immediately put to work training in the art of weaponry and combat, a feat in which he grew rapidly and proficiently. His father, Satoru Hashira, was the current head of the clan and saw promise in his son’s abilities as well as inspiring tenacity, and saw to it that he would be the one to train Kazuo, as opposed to the members of the lower branch family who head this task of teaching children. Kazuo would spend ten hours a day switching between forms of different weapons to hone his skills; altering between target practice and spars with the other children of the clan. He gained a proficiency in the likes of the polearm, sword, and axe by the time he was eight; although they were made of a lightweight metal and wood for practice. It was only then that Satoru began to teach his son the ways of magic, giving him the ability to send a weapon to a pocket dimension of his own, and then recall it at will. It was on his tenth birthday that his father officially recognized Kazuo as a mage of the Hashira Clan, being the best weaponry combatant of his age as well as gaining a proficient skill in Requip Magic. He went through a rite of passage, being presented with a sword of Sciodian metal in front of the clan; a sword he would come to use frequently, giving it the name 'Diesis '(鋭い Dieshisu). ' It was during this traditional ceremony that Kazuo’s father made the announcement that he would choose his son to carry on his duties as head of the Hashira Clan; a title that previously belongs to Satoru's bother Damien, due to his bloodline and skill as the best lancer within the Clan. Kazuo was both nervous and proud that his father and the elders thought so highly of his skills and promise that they would begin to train him towards being the leader of their prestigious family at his young age. Kazuo was told of the clan’s plan for expansion and their goal of becoming their own form of guard, not only sending members to the Royal Guard, but creating a force that can be hired to protect the legal branchs from that of dark mages. Kazuo admired his father’s generosity and outlook towards others, and made a vow to himself that he would be just as great a leader as his father. These feelings would be short lived however, as not only a week later, tragedy struck his village. Kazuo woke that night to the violent shaking of his father’s arms around his shoulders, jostling him from his sleep. He was instructed to hide in their homes back room, and not to come out for any reason. Kazuo protested, wanting to help in whatever destruction was taking place outside, but his father insisted that he was not ready and needed to be kept safe. Seeing the desperation in his father’s eyes, Kazuo obliged and went to hid in the wardrobe of the back guest room. Through the cracks of the wardrobe Kazuo could see his father run down the hallway with sword in hand, followed by a quick sound of clashing metal. Kazuo watched in terror as he sees his father’s body being flung back across the hallway, his sword nowhere in sight. He watches as his dad fails to requip another sword, looking on in desperation and anguish towards the wardrobe where Kazuo remained silent from terror. A woman calmly walks over to Satoru's body and gives it a swift kick in the skull which renders him unconscious. Kazuo is frozen in fear as the women turns to walk slowly down the hall, inching closer to his hiding space, but feels a slight relief as he spots his Uncle Damien traverse down that same hallway before standing over Satoru's body. This relief was short lived as he sees his uncle take his lance and gouge it through the skull of Kazuo’s father without hesitation. A wicked grin is painted across his uncle’s face as Damien follows suit up to the woman who previously kicked Kazuo’s father, and the two exchange words as if they were partners. Kazuo is at a loss for words as to the events that have transpired right before him, yet his animal instincts kick in, and the adrenaline tells him that he needs to run as far away as he can. He bursts out the wardrobe door and requipped Diesis as he does his best to get as far away from the two as possible. He crashes through the back window, falling down onto the broken glass in pain. In an instant he sees the same women standing over him with a menacing grin on her face. She threatens to kill him slowly, as a “reward” for running away, yet she never gets the chance as her words are cut short by the swift pierce of Damien’s lance through her chest. Kazuo is stunned with sadness and fear as he sees his uncle laugh out, spouting on about “his right” to be the one to kill Kazuo. Kazuo does his best effort to swing his sword towards Damien, but it is effortlessly knocked away. Damien went on to say that he would be “a loving uncle” and spare his life, only so he could have the pleasure of humiliating Kazuo when he was at his prime. So he could fully understand the vast difference in skill between them. Kazuo cried out for an explanation for his uncle’s betrayal, getting a sentence response of only, “It was my job as a Solis Knight to keep the balance. And my ideal ridden brother would have disrupted that balance with his so called plan ‘to protect those who need it’.” Kazuo then watched as Damien set his village ablaze, killing anyone who emerged from the flames to challenge him. Waking up with ash filled lungs, Kazuo looked out on the charred remains of what was once his family. It was at that moment that he pledged to avenge the slaughter of his people because of the crooked ideals of these “Solis Knights” his uncle talked of. For the next six years Kazuo followed the path of his uncle, always catching glimpses of his figure, but never quite making it in time to exact his vengeance. He harnessed his skills through the battles that he would walk into, caused by the actions of the Solis Knights; always fighting for that which he thought was right. It wasn’t until one fateful day that he ran into a girl named Theia Zhulong, a dragon slayer who was on the same quest as him: to find the Solis Knights. Although her motives different from his own, it was her keen sense of smell and expert tracking abilities that caused him to stick with her, hoping that she would help lead him to his uncle in time for him to prove his skill and avenge his father’s unwarranted death. Magical Abilities 'Summoning Magic' (召しの魔法, ''Meshi no Mahō) is a Caster and Holder Magic that provides Kazuo the ability to summon objects out of thin air from a completely different location. Kazuo utilizes this magic by summoning up a large collection of unique weapons he has collected from his clan's heritage of being elite warriors. Each weapon has their own unique abilities, giving him a wide variety of potential attacks. It is because of this that Kazuo has tailored this magic to his life of living on the road, having items such as tents, food storage, emergency medical supplies, clothes, and even going so far as to storing his wallet inside his own pocket dimension so that he is able to travel light and unhindered. All the weapons that Kazuo has at his disposal are made of a unique construct of Kinesium and Sciodian Metal, an extremely rare metal monopolized by the Hashira Clan into extinction. The Kinesium allows the weapon to absorb the kinetic energy of its attacks, lessening that which is transferred to Kazuo as well as storing up energy to release in a powerful wave. The Sciodian Metal gives the weapon an incredible durability as well as its purplish hue. The Sciodian gets its durability from the self repairing properties it achieves by absorbing the Ki of that which it cuts. So that means Kazuo is able to cut through rock, steel, and bone without his blade ever losing its edge. * Wrathcleaver (激怒クリーバー Gekido Kurībā): Kazuo's preferred weapon of choice when taking on a large group of people, as it's broad reach and power allows him to easily mow down enemies. It is a dual inclined plane, double beveled axe which allows Kazuo to protect his knuckles from damage when swinging, as well as ensure a cut without having to rotate his hold. It is also equipped with a large conical spike atop the eye of the axe to allow Kazuo to pierce enemies in a charge. The handle itself is a bit longer than a normal battle axe, allowing Kazuo to wield it like a polearm, or choke up on the handle to swing it like an axe. * Diesis '(鋭い ''Dieshisu): This was the first blade presented at his "coming of age ceremony", given to him by his father. This blade holds unique meaning for Kazuo, and is the weapon with which he vowed to exact his revenge on his uncle with. He is typically seen wielding it with one hand, a testament to his incredible strength and fluidity with the blade. The blade itself is of unique design, it has been carefully heat treated to give it the maximum toughness, while allowing superior flexibility in the blade to be able to absorb impacts. It is shaped with a hira niku blade design, or apple seed geometry, to give the blade durability against heavy targets, while still maintaining its sharpness. Because of the material used to construct Diesis the blade is able to take the kinetic energy transferred by the molecules and store it within the Kinesium molecules of the blade. Although unnoticeable to the human eye, Kazuo’s blade actually has a thicker coating of Kinesium at two points in his blade to better store the energy where it occurs most naturally. The first point of thickness rests at the vibrational node, located near the tip of the blade, because this is one of the fundamental flexural vibration zones within a sword that typically vibrates during a strike. The second is located near the hilt of the blade to absorb radiant percussive energy that would generally travel down the blade and cause a slight stinging of the hands. Because of this feature Kazuo feels little to no sting when hitting rather tough substances. This feature can also serve as an offensive tool as well, as the kinetic energy stored within the blade can be expelled by sending a pulse of Ki with enough speed to separate the molecules within the coating and release the kinetic energy stored within. This feature is actually it’s greatest downfall, as this ability only relates to attacks with solid kinetic force, such as bullets, blades, physical hits, and other projectiles; this ability does not work with magical constructs. The blade is also able to withstand wear and tear by having the Sciodian molecules absorb Ki which is used to shift the molecules on the edge of the blade, allowing the sword to alter its shape to prevent dullness from problems such as abrasion, rolled edge, flatted edge, chipped edge, and corrosion. *'''Soulshard (魂の破片 Tamashī no Hahen): This blade is a highly modified single-edged kopis blade that is pitched forward towards the point, the edge being concave on the part of the sword nearest the hilt, but swelling to convexity towards the tip. This shape, often termed "recurved", distributes the weight in such a way that Soulshard is capable of delivering a blow with the momentum of an axe, whilst maintaining the long cutting edge of a sword, as well as some facility to execute a thrust. The tip of this blade looks similar to an arrowhead from the side, were notched inside is a Sciodian Steel rod that goes from the bottom of the arrowhead to a notch inside the top of the sword handle. This rod can be detached from the kopis and screwed into the bottom of the sword to turn this blade into that of a spear. The rod itself can even be used as a baton to help guard or attack if Kazuo decides not to transform Soulshard into a full spear. *'Harakiri' (切腹 Seppuku): Through the use of a great deal of Ki, Kazuo is able to summon up multiple copies of the weapons in his arsenal to unleash a barrage of bladed fury. He is able to summon up a total of 10 weapons at once, sending them off at will through the use of Ki manipulation. TBC Teleportation (瞬身の魔法 Shunshin no Mahō) is a type of Caster Magic that allows Kazuo to teleport himself, along with others he is in contact with, to any given location. This does have a limit as Kazuo is only able to transport as far as he is able to see, or to a place he has been before. It wastes little magic for him to travel short distances, but when going more than 100 miles can add a drain to his energy. This drain significantly increases when he attempts to transport more than one person, as seen when he attempted to teleport himself and Theia out of a battle with Damien, a journey that was only 20 miles out of town, but left him winded and on the verge of collapse from exhaustion after a long battle. He does enjoy using this magic in battle however, finding it useful to throw his weapon and then teleport to it to deliver an unsuspecting blow. *'Coordinate Jump' (座標のジャンプ Zahyō no Janpu): A more advanced move of teleportation magic that allows Kazuo to teleport to a location that he has previously been to. The amount of magic this takes is far greater than direct line, as Kazuo has to maintain a state of pure Ki for a greater amount of time in order to get to the designated space. Kazuo has only been able to travel about 50 miles on his own. *'Direct Line' (瞬間移動, ダイレクトライン, Dairekuto Rain): One of the most basic spells that any user of Teleportation Magic knows. This will allow Kazuo to travel instantly from one point to another in his direct line of sight. Kazuo is rather limited in his use of this spell and can only go as far as he can see, so with the curvature of the earth, that is only about 5 kilometers. He prefers to use this spell heavily in battle in congruence with his weapons, throwing his weapon towards a target to throw them off guard, and then teleporting to grab hold of it once more and change its course to overcome the targets defense. Physical Abilities All Around Weapon Specialist: From his upbringing Kazuo was taught a variety of basics for each weapon class, later expanding on his skills to achieve a mastery in the likes of the polearm, axe, and sword. He rather excels when it comes to using dual-weapons, moving fluidly and gracefully to block and strike down any enemy in his path. With the sword he has shown that he is incredibly skilled in the one handed grip, not losing a significant amount of power when compared to that of the usual two handed grip. His axe and polearm skills were praised as the most promising during his younger years by the elders of his clan, as he took an immediate liking to such weapons. He is able to swing his weapons in an incredible fast manner, using his reflexes and speed to the fullest, as well as incorporating his Teleportation Magic, and even being able to mass summon up to a dozen weapons. He is able to unleashed swift strikes, often attacking in such an aggressive manner that his opponent is unable to retaliate or deflect all of the powerful blows. His speed at manipulating his weapons has even been able to deflect bullets and projectile from an enemyts target. His power with a weapon is also able to produce shockwaves from his strikes, giving him tremendous cutting power capable of effortlessly slicing through defenses while pushing enemies to their absolute limits. His defenses when blocking seems unmatched, and his offense is capable of tremendous precision. Utilizing evasion techniques, with effortless counterattacks, Kazuo tends to use his speed to overwhelm the opponent and create an opening for himself. * Sword Specialist: Kazuo is able to utilize both short and long ranged attacks at various angles dependent on the sword he conjures. The tremendous cutting power of Kazuo's sword strikes are capable of effortlessly slicing through defenses with extreme accuracy and proficiency. Combining with his physical and magical abilities, Kazuo can instantaneously blaze through every enemy before him with his own speed and teleportation magic, leaving more blood behind him than the sweat of his brow. Kazuo's fighting style focuses on strong, concise strikes that deal a great deal of damage. His attacks are typically that with a large, quick, sweeping movements, using his sword to cleave through opponents with every strike. He has great range on his attacks, as weapons are levitated and logically thrown at the intended targets nearby, which causes great difficulty for those trying to advance on him. His speed and precision helps him create a large-scale mobility as a means for versatility and uncertainty when attacking. ** Iaijutsu: One of the principle sword techniques any swordsmen has at their disposal, this technique is by far her most proficient. Iaijutsu is a combative sword-drawing art, but not necessarily an aggressive art, because iaijutsu is also a counterattack-oriented art. Iaijutsu technique may be used aggressively to wage a premeditated surprise attack against an unsuspecting enemy. This fits in well with Kazuo's nature as he is never one to initiate attack without reason, and this art allows him to focus on counter attacks. ** Jikishinkage-ryū: This is mainly learned to teach a mage footwork and breathing. The footwork used in the Jikishinkage-ryū style and can be translated as law, rule or method (for) transporting, conveying or carrying ('walking'). It is stressed that both feet stay firmly planted on the ground at all times. The kiai consists not only of the shouting, like most martial arts, but of the proper way of inhaling and state of mind as well. Every kata has two distinct roles called uchidachi, the striking/attacking sword, and shidachi, the doing/receiving sword. Roughly, the swordsman draws a semicircle (upwards or downwards) with both their right hand (holding the sword), and their left hand (free). They finish the movement with his arms extended, the sword pointing upwards, and the free hand's index finger pointing downwards. They represent all the things in heaven and all the things in earth, and Kazuo in the center of everything. Another typical technique is both arms movement in which uchidachi raises with both arms and receives the subsequent uchikomi with the side of the blade. This results in thrusting the left arm forwards and turning both arms outwards to allow to absorb shidachi's cut which is in kiritsuki style like performed by a kaishakunin. * Hokushin Ittō-ryū: Hokushin Ittō-ryū is a very intense dueling style, which focuses on simple and fast techniques where no unnecessary movements are made. Controlling the enemy’s center line with the Kiri-Otoshi and dominating him with extremely fast tsuki-waza are the signature techniques of this ryūha. The principles of this style are that a perfect technique should contain defense and offense in one action. ** Marvelous Combination (マーベラスコンビネーション, Māberasu Konbinēshon): Marvelous Combination is a unique sword technique, as it consists of four different attacks chained together. The attacks simply changes the motion trail of his sword, swiftly moving the blade along with alternating wrist and pivot movements, making it is extremely challenging to tell which angle the blade will be striking from. If the first hit connects, it is nearly impossible to escape the rest of the combo. This is a combination based on speed and misdirection, making it one of the most versatile moves for Kazuo. He will first come in with a right to left arc slash, with subsequent slashes coming at a pace for which it seems to be simultaneous. ** Heaven-Shaking Slash (動天斬, Dōtenzan): The Heaven-Shaking Slash lives up to its name quite clearly; its a slash so powerful everything trembles in its wake. Unlike several Sword Magic spells, it can be utilized with any sword so long as Kazuo is capable of manifesting the required energy to make use of it properly. The Heaven-Shaking Slash works by concentrating an excess of magical power into one's blade, creating surges of magical energy leaking out of the medium which the spell is being used from. From therein, Kazuo makes a slash, generally vertical, against the opponent in question. The slash builds up an extraordinary amount of momentum from the movement that goes behind it, therefore releasing destructive shockwaves of kinetic energy which can slice through inanimate objects such as trees and even steel with some effort. While the spell is very powerful and effective, inappropriate use can easily lead to fatigue and unwanted destruction of the surrounding environment. * Spear/Staff Specialist: His skill as a warrior with the spear stands high, as he can typically be seen carrying this weapon around while out on jobs or even around the branch. He can be seen utilizing fluid motions when he is wielding a spear, giving his attacks a sense of grace, as well as a seemingly endless array of potential strikes. By slowing his breathing down to match his opponent's Kazuo is capable of entering a state of keen awareness of his opponents moves, basing it on the pattern and alteration of their breaths. His stance can alter between one for countering his opponent's moves by using the shaft of his spear to deflect attacks away; or he can lower his spear toward the ground to execute various Ki defenses, like Defenser. It is this lowered stance Kazuo becomes far more deadly, as he is capable of blocking attacks from any direction as well as being able to attack with a swift raise of the spear. He is able to perform as a dual-handed spearman, capable of using each hand to fight and throw his opponents off guard. When using his spears he has shown a master usage of Sojutsu and Bojutsu, with a mastery in Torunku Ryu, and has even gone as far being capable of moving his spear fast enough to deflect projectiles. His ability to perform tremendously powerful and precise strikes, launch several consecutive strikes in a matter of mere moments, and versatility against opponents has given him the skill to render many of his targets unable to fight by striking and paralyzing the joints needed to wield a weapon. ** Torunku Ryū: '''The offensive aspects of the style focus on conditioning Kazuo on an instinctive basis to, when fighting with a pole weapon, always keep the opponent within a certain zone of attack to optimize offense while still retaining the ability to defend oneself. By keeping the opponent a comfortable distance away Kazuo is able to focus more on offense. Taking advantage of the extended reach of the staff, Torunku-Ryu holds a distinct advantage over weapons with shorter reaches, besetting the enemy with a relentless flurry of vigorous assaults at range. In the interest of pressing the advantage, practitioners of this weapons form are able to close considerable distance in a short space of time relying on pure agility as long as the opponent is within 15 meters of their position. Because of the extended reach of the weapons used in this form Kazuo is able to deliver attacks faster than the time it takes for an opponent to cast a spell, forcing the mage to attempt to physically dodge or block Kazuo's strike. Thus, this weapons form is extremely effective in closing the distance and forcing a direct physical confrontation. A master of such art can fight fluidly with two polearms at once. The draw back to this form is that Kazuo will not be able to fight quite as effectively in extreme close quarters, nor can the advantage be maintained if the opponent's weapon is sufficiently heavy or of similar length to Kazuo's. Torunku Ryu is also excellent at defense and evasive maneuvers. The defensive aspects of the style rely on perception and awareness of surroundings. By using deceptively quick sweeping movements Kazuo is able to divert force away from their body easily by simultaneously shifting into the least accessible position while also not confronting the force directly when necessary. This can work to defend Kazuo even from extremely swift assaults. Kazuo can easily alternate between offence and defense, as this form allows for fluid transition. In addition Kazuo is trained to whip the staff around their body so quickly, they are able to block multiple projectiles from several directions easily so long as none are fired from a blind spot. This form is less effective in close quarters or in tight, confined spaces with places to potentially catch the staff weapon and halt its movement. Adept skill in the style allows Kazuo to fight on par with close range combat masters on equal terms, and mastery of the style allows Kazuo the ability to fight on equal terms with nearly any opponent. ** '''Bōjutsu: The basis of bo technique comes from thrusting, swinging, and striking techniques that often resemble empty-hand movements, following the philosophy that the bō is merely an "extension of one’s limbs". Bōjutsu attacks are often avoided by agile footwork or jumps and returning strikes made at the enemy’s weak points. The bō is typically gripped in thirds, and when held horizontally in front, the right palm is facing away from the body and the left hand is facing the body, enabling the bō to rotate. The power is generated by the back hand pulling the bō, while the front hand is used for guidance. When striking, the wrist is twisted, as if turning the hand over when punching. Bō technique includes a wide variety of blocks, strikes, sweeps, and entrapments. The bō may even be used to sweep sand into an opponent’s eyes. ** Sojutsu: Sojutsu focuses on the various uses of the spear in combat, and is one of the principle stance and holding techniques for those who learn the spear. Generally speaking, there are many kinds of spears or, Yari, that a mage can use within combat, however, nearly all of them are used in the same way. Kazuo holds the bottom of the shaft with one hand and uses the other one near the middle. With the spear held like this, Kazuo can keep the weapon between himself and the opponent, giving him a great advantage, and can also move it out of the opponent's range and slash back at him easily. * Axe Specialist: Used in both one handed, and two handed methods, Kazuo excels at his use of his signature battle axe. His techniqes include cutting punches, pulling punches, hammer blows (retracting the axe), pulling hammer blows, stabs, punches with the poll/hammer, short slashes, pushing and manipulating with the axe-handle, and using the axe-blade as a hook. He tends to focus on destroy the attacking arm or leg, making further attacks impossible; or even pulling or pushing the target back to break their balance and allow for an opening. When dealing with a two handed axe swing, a target's weapon will easily be knocked out, shown with Kazuo will use his axe to eliminate a multitude of enemies in one slash. Master Martial Artist/Hand-to-Hand Combatant: While not as skilled in the art as he is with his weapons, his father did teach him proper techniques to be quite competent and deadly when unarmed. Kazuo has repeatedly shown his prowess in agility and speed, and when coupled with his impressive strength, his punches are unexpected and bone breaking. Additionally, he is quite inventive—coming up with creative attacks on the spot to launch against his enemies, finding ways to use the targets own body against them. Kazuo excels in power, using strong and precise punches, such as power packed jabs or piercing uppercuts, to deal damaging blows to his opponents. Once he catches an opponent in his combos, he keep them trapped by increasing the rate of his strikes in a seemingly unpredictable manner, not allowing his opponents a chance to block or counterattack. For stronger strikes, Kazuo will employee his teleportation magic, gradually increasing his speed to put a great deal of force behind a hit, easily shattering bones. He has proficient understanding of various martial arts, and will use these techniques when evading blows and countering, as he has a sophisticated understanding of how the body moves in various styles of combat. * Ki no Michi '(木の道, ''Ki no Michi lit. "The Way of the Tree") is a martial arts style created by the monks of the Minstrel Mountains. It is said that the monks created it to be an integration of their martial arts practices and the personal expression of their philosophy to "live like that of a tree. Staying sturdy with deep roots, even in the face of a growing storm or scorching sun." This fast paced, flexible style of martial arts focuses on neutralizing an attack early on or using Kazuos momentum and predicted trajectory to dodge said attack for a counter. It emphasizes a majority of throwing techniques and joint manipulations, although the use of a mages Ki, later realized to be Ki, is of great importance when delivering an effective block or counter. Also of particular importance is the timing of a defensive technique, either to blend or to neutralize an attack's effectiveness and to use the force of the attacker's movement against him. This means that a mage must be of fast body and mind in order to read an opponents intentions and movements in order to effectively block. ** '''God Cedar Cranial Descent (神杉頭蓋降下, Kamisugi Tōgai Kōka): Working best as in immediate counter move to follow an opponent's momentum, however, this move does require a great deal of strength to aid in the execution. As an opponent comes in for an attack, the mage will target the leading foot and scoop one the opponents thighs with their free hand. Using the opponents momentum to aid in their ascension, the mage will lift their opponent upside down so that their head is the closest point of contact to the earth. The mage will then proceed to drop to their side or back, driving the opponent into the earth on their neck and shoulders, or on the top of their head. If executed properly this move will follow one fluid motion and can leave the opponent with severe dizziness, a concussion, cracked cranium, paralysis, or even death if the opponent happens to land in such a way. ** Great Banyan Dance (大きなガジュマルの踊り, Ōkina Gajumaru no Dansu): Beginning with an Ki pulse from a low rise kick to the opponent's sternum, a mage is effectively knocked up into the air. Afterwards, Kazuo's moves will differ based on the opening they see. They will typically swivel gracefully to land a kick to the left side of their opponent. This will shift the opponents center of gravity on their fall to cause them fall on their side. On the opponents decent, a backhand strike to the face will shift the opponent's body to be parallel with the ground. It finishes with a Ki infused punch to the gut upon the opponents impact with the ground. This final blow has been seen to break ribs, and never fails to knock the wind straight out of their lungs. Mages have been seen infusing their own magic into the hits to make this dance much more lethal and powerful. ** Jaya Sri Maha Kick (ジャヤスリマハキック, Jayasurimahakikku): Once Kazuo is able to see an opening, they focus a great deal of Ki into their leg for power, while also maintaining their center of balance and delivers a kick at the opponent's weak spot. The only major weakness of this technique is that Kazuo has to focus a great deal of Ki into their legs, forcing them to lower the power given to their arms; this can be covered by an X guarded stance, or use the free leg to block as well. With the swiftness and power concentrated into the leg, this is easily break bones if an opponent holds no defensive protection. This is also a versatile skill that can be used to launch Kazuo into the air with a vertical distance of 45 feet. ** Jōmon Sugi Thrust (縄文杉の推力, Jōmon Sugi no Suiryoku): This technique begins with an open palm uppercut to the opponent's chin at close range. Once the hand is placed against the opponent's chin, the free hand is then used to strike the connected elbow. The force created from both hands is now behind a single point that's in contact with the opponent's chin. Since the hand is already in contact with the opponent's chin, they won't be able to evade the second hit. This is a skillful move to evade a grasp, as your opponent is within range and would not be able to stand the backward force to their spinal column without releasing their hold. ** Chankiri Revenge (チャンキリ復讐, Chankiri Fukushū): With one arm cocked back, and the other extended forward, the practioner throws a punch from the drawn-arrow stance. The mage delivers an swift punch forward to the chest, using a pulse of Ki to knock the wind out of the chest. A swift turn of the hips will send the other hand to dig into the heart with wrist bent and elbow facing downward. The end result can lead to cardiac arrest from blunt trauma to the heart. This move does take a great skill of precision to deliver the second blow through the spacing of the ribs.So a mage must practice on a multitude of targets before delivering such a fatal blow. ** Kannimara Chord Cut (カニマラコードカット, Kanimara Kōdokatto): while in a fighting stance, the lead fist is thrown straight ahead and the arm is fully extended. With fingers extended outward, Kazuo covers their hand in a coat of Ki; at the moment of impact, the pronated hand is generally held in a horizontal orientation with the palm facing the ground. The power of this attack comes from it's ability to cut the vessels of it's opponent when executed with enough force. Using two fingers can cut off blood flow until the pressure is released, three can cause severe bruising, four fingers can cut superficial nerves and vessels, and 5 finger can damage muscle fibers. ** Tembusu Mania Blitz (テンブスブリッツマニア, Tenbusu Burittsumania): This strike follows a downward push of the target's own strike by applying fierce pressure to the joint's of the target's striking limb and causing it to lose it's consecutive momentum. Afterwards, fighter had to stiff his body to it's utmost limits on the moment of impact. When Kazuo uses it at the right moment in a strike, all of his joints will be fixed. Although difficult, if done correctly,they will strike with the weight of their whole body. When the strike is covered in Ki, and comes in contact with the water that makes up the human body, it sends a shock wave through the body that can temporarily paralyze the target. Magical Prowess: 'Praised as one of the most skilled mages in his clan, Kazuo is able to perform spells with little or no fatigue when compared to that of the average mage. His large amount of magical power is finely controlled through years of practice in order to be at the utmost peak of his abilities to take on his revenge. Although, while he usually keeps it under control, when sufficiently angered, he can release it to its full extent; something that causes an overwhelming force to be released from his body, unleashing shockwaves that tear up the earth. But Kazuo is a rather calm person and keeps a good hold on his magical exertions so that he can save his energy for combat. Because of this natural control over the exertion of his magic, it is virtually impossible to detect his presence by normal means, although a highly skilled sensor would be able to sense the small amount of Ki that does leak from his pores. * 'Magical Aura: A Magical Aura is a common term given to the exertion of magical energy into a form outside of Kazuo's body that isn't used in the formation of spells. It has been demonstrated by various mages of varying potency, and is a common means of intimidation. A magical aura is created when the body's container of Ki particles exceeds the limits of what it contains, or is purposefully released by Kazuo. Upon doing so, the magical energy surges around the body and is exerted outwards in the form of an aura, which holds considerable pressure surrounding it. Depending on the level of magical power one possesses and the control behind it, it can be used as a means to intimidate another individual, or as a preparation for a powerful spell. A single magical aura can have a wide variety of effects dependent on the power an individual exerts, which will be outlined in the following sections. A standard aura is produced by mages with a moderate level of magical power within their body. By exerting it outward, it forms a thin layer of pressure that can cause one to be intimidated if they aren't a mage, or if they are a rather weak mage. This is generally demonstrated by individuals of S-Class strength when they are holding back, or when standard mages are showing that they are entering their full reserves of power. It should be noted that the density of this aura, by a S-Class mage, can cause physical attacks to be repelled with notable ease. Kazuo is a fairly special case in the fact that his aura is finely in tune with his emotions, to such a caliber that it can be seen growing out as a sort of second skin during the heat of battle. When released consciously, his aura is that of a blue color and seems to flicker and dance like that of a star's flame. * Master of Ki Manipulation: ''' From a young age Kazuo had been somewhat of a protegee when it came to drawing in ambient Ki from the atmosphere; even able to do it kinetically, although he first learned it through traditional means of meditation, taught to him by his guardians. He has the additional capabilities of absorbing Ki into his magical origin, as well as manipulating the Ki for offensive, defensive, and supportive purposes in any way that he wishes; although it still requires a great deal of concentration for him to harness ambient Ki, and so it isn't used in battle frequently. Generally, a magician has an easier time collecting this stray Ki in environments with higher concentrations of it such as the area where a vicious battle between others has progressed. He has however, been able to manipulate his own Ki reserves with great skill, allowing him to execute attacks without excess waste of Ki. At the absolutely highest level, a master magician's Ki prowess functions as a defense against illusions due to their sheer mastery over it, making them all but immune to everything except the strongest of fabrications. '''Incredible Strength: Perhaps his most astonishing physical attribute, is the fact that Kazuo possesses a truly monstrous level of strength, to such a degree that it was thought to require no less than 40 years to achieve such status without the use of magical enhancements. Kazuo possesses a greater number of slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fibers; maximizing his strength to the utmost abilities. Slow-twitch fibers specialize in long-duration, low-intensity movement, where as fast-twitch fibers create high-intensity actions lasting fewer than 30 seconds. His teacher devised a unique training regime that focuses on harnessing the inner power of the body through meditation, exercise, and diet. The program is well rounded, focusing on maximizing both slow and fast twitch muscles, which is why he is one of the most versatile warriors in combat. Once a training program is complete, a mage possess extreme explosive power in his hits and agile endeavors; while also having the stamina to persist in this power for hours. At the lower end of the spectrum, Kazuo can easily lift full grown adults with a single hand and with no effort. In fact, with his enormous strength and lethal precision, his attacks can deal extreme damage, easily capable of shattering bones even with a glancing blow. When matches with the weight and sharpness of his weapons, little to no one stands a chance against him in close combat. Immense Speed and Reflexes: Kazuo is known for specializing in this area as he is capable of moving at jaw-dropping speeds to close the gaps between him and his target within seconds. This can be done with his Teleportation Magic, but even without, Kazuo has tremendous leg strength capable of giving him an explosive power to achieve that which is almost invisible to the untrained eye. Much like his overall physical strength,Kazuo's speed comes from his insane training method, giving him the ability to maneuver around his opponent and obstacles with ease and precision, changing directions without the slightest delay. Kazuo's reflexes are also impressive, being able to act fast enough to dodge his opponent's punches, kicks and weapons with ease, using great flexibility to evade the attacks. A natural gift of the Hashira bloodline, these amazing reflexes come from Kazuo's ability to process information at an incredible rate. Although perhaps not quite as fast as his uncle was, Kazuo was able to give him a run for his money, moving with a normal run of 28 MPH without the aide of Ki, and while in battle increasing that up to 49 MPH at take off without using his teleportation magic. High Pain Tolerance and Heightened Sensation: His bloodline show excessively high pain tolerance, with markedly decreased endogenous concentrations of nociceptin (pain-activating neurotransmitter) and extraordinarily high levels of enkephalin and anandamide (natural biologically-occurring pain relievers), which both serve to decrease pain reception. Furthermore, their thalamus show super-threshold afferent and efferent innervation, especially to the eye, ear, nose, and somatosensors, thus increasing the ability of their central nervous system to receive and integrate external sensory stimuli. This increased perception time has given him a reaction time of 0.047; a time twice that of the average human. Keen Intellect: Even from a young age, Kazuo was always one to take his studies seriously. Breezing through subjects like math, english, and science, his father had always been impressed with his sons ability to retain information and recall it at a moments notice. Kazuo had always been fascinated by the books in his family's library on military strategy and human psychology, spending hours reading into the night. From the midst of the battlefield, Kazuo is very calm and rational when it comes to analyzing his opponents movement and their use in magic. He effectively analyzes and remembered the motions of his opponent to allowing him to plan his next move accordingly and exploit the weakness of his enemy. Kazuo is able to easily judge their combat style based on eye movement, body language, and verbal communication; using this information to deduce the most appropriate plan of action. This way he can intentionally take control of their path of travel and awareness by manipulating his own actions to subtly direct others in the way he wants them to go. It is this kind of mental manipulation that allows him to fight on par with even that of a Solis Knight, taking advantage of the way the human mind processes information. Therefore, Kazuo is predetermined on changing how the battle scenario plays out from the moment it starts, sabotaging their opponents' playing field and ability to counter him in battle. Kazuo is also quite adaptable to the environment at hand, using his wide array of knowledge to allow him to tackle any challenge. * Incredible Tactician: He is highly observant and analytical, and judging from how quickly he can analyze an opponent's power and attack patterns, most maneuvers are ultimately useless against in due time. He is capable of performing a calm analysis of battle conditions, even when in danger, and deduce an appropriate course of action after considering all possibilities to successfully execute his target. This skill can also translate into easily pinpointing weaknesses and quickly calculate new battle plans as the fight is taking place. This is in part due to his great instincts and intuition which allows him to quickly become aware of his surroundings and react to incoming danger in time. In addition to his incredible tactical prowess, he is also shown to be a very perceptive; being able to deduce a person’s true motives and intentions by thoroughly observing their individual patterns, personality traits and characteristics. Superior Acrobatics and Agility: Kazuo can perform any complicated sequence of gymnastic stunts with ease. Kazuo is extraordinarily limber and his tendons and connective tissues are twice as elastic as the average human being's, making feats such as flips and springs as easy as breathing. He has the combined agility and acrobatic prowess of the most skilled acrobats and easily incorporates this into his fighting style. He has impressive personal strength and phenomenal equilibrium, making him one of the most lethal combatants; as accomplishing feats such as scaling a wall, evading trip wires, and leaping from roof support beams is easily accomplished with little to no discomfort. Trivia * Kazuo is one the main protagonists in Radiance Requiem. * He is based off Noctis from Final Fantasy Brotherhood, the 5 episode series based on Final Fantasy XV. Category:Male Category:Mage Category:Mages Category:Summoning Magic User Category:Rune Circles User Category:Teleportation User Category:Cambium Knight Category:Toranku 15 Staff Category:Sword User Category:Weapon User Category:Radiance Requiem